Benson Kipruto Leads Kenya To Victory As Kipchoge Flops

Former Boston and Chicago marathon champion Benson Kipruto led Kenyan runners to a win in the Tokyo Marathon early on Sunday, setting a new record of 2:02:16 as Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge struggled to finish. in a disappointing 10th place.

Kipruto lowered Kipchoge’s course record of 2:02:40 set two years ago, leading countrymen Timothy Kiplagat and Vincent Ngetich to the finish line. Kiplagat clocked 2:02:55 to finish second while Ngetich finished third in 2:04:18. Kipchoge, who is preparing to defend his title at the Paris Olympics in August, clocked 2:06:50 to finish 10th, only the third time in his career that he has missed the marathon. Bethwell Kibet finished sixth (2:06:26), Simon Kariuki eighth (2:06:29) while debutant Bedan Karoki finished 16th (2:07:59).

Meanwhile, in the women’s race, Kenya’s Rosemary Wanjiru finished second with a time of 2:16:14, while Ethiopia’s Asefa Kebede won the race, beating Brigid Kosgei in 2:15:55. ‘fast.

Everything seemed to be going well for Kipchoge, who stayed with the lead pack and the pacers taking them through the first five kilometers in 14:16. He stayed in the game after 20km, but this time Kipruto started to move and was on the shoulders of the leaders as he passed in 57:14, Kipchoge was only five seconds behind him.

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But the rain started to hit him as the 30km mark approached, the gap started to increase and Kipruto put his foot in the gear and opened up an 11 second gap to Kipchoge. The former Kenyan world record holder seems to be struggling, as even his movement on the road has changed.

At 35 kilometers, he was far from the leaders, who were 3 minutes and 17 minutes ahead of him. He dropped to 11th place.

Kipruto at the front showed no sign of struggle as he commanded the race and was running alongside KIplangat, Ngetich a few steps behind him. With two kilometers to go, the former Boston champion went down to business, widening the gap to Kiplangat and with the finish line in sight, there was no doubt that he would be crowned the new winner.